Prime movers, such as dynamoelectric machines or particularly electric motors of the single phase induction type, utilize thermal overload protectors operable generally to protect a winding circuit of such prime movers by deenergizing the windings of such winding circuit so as to interrupt current flow thereto in the event the windings for some reason become overheated, as may happen upon the occurrence of a current overload condition for instance. These current overloads are mounted generally adjacent to a grouping of winding end turns of the prime mover windings for sensing the ambient temperature adjacent thereto.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,439, an electric motor is provided within a stator having an end face with a generally annular grouping of winding end turns extending therefrom, and a plurality of beams which extend past the stator end face in spaced relation with the end turn grouping are retained in a plurality of grooves provided therefor in the stator. A metallic clip has a mounting portion which is disposed in one of the stator grooves in displacement preventing engagement with the stator, and a flange or the like is integrally formed with the mounting portion being bent from the plane thereof so as to support or maintain an overload protector in abutment with the winding end turn grouping for sensing the ambient temperature adjacent thereto.